Pen Prices

[paulm]

Mine are just life experiences, at least I have a life.
Who was it that wrote tales from a small island?
Some damn yank called Bill Bryson I think.
I just tell it as I see it, I could be wrong, often am but still survive init?
Still don't change the fact a shit kit is a shit kit no matter what price you charge for it init?

I wasn't knocking you Brian, I think your posts are very funny

 

[Paul]

Mine are just life experiences, at least I have a life.
Who was it that wrote tales from a small island?
Some damn yank called Bill Bryson I think.
I just tell it as I see it, I could be wrong, often am but still survive init?
Still don't change the fact a shit kit is a shit kit no matter what price you charge for it init?

Completely wasn't taking the p1ss, just loved the colourful prose, and ingenuity behind the conversions to homes, I bet they were of a higher quality too, as you allude too.

I would diverge slightly, that take a quality kit, turn it well, but perhaps use a boring wood, then resulting pen is as "sh1te" as a poor kit one, surely.

Put some interest woods, segmenting or whatever on a poor kit, and it's desirable,

I mean, I think it's Brody, who combines a load of old tat, and makes some fantastic novel and unique products. Your not "paying" for the kit, but the idea, craftsman ship and end result etc.

The pro pen maker, must surely ad value to a poor kit, by their design choices, for economies of scale, and profitability, whilst the hobbyists can indulge ourselves, provided we cover costs, by a wage, or low margin.

Surely the art for a pro is making a poor pen, look special, whilst trying to use the best materials for the punter, at that cost etc.

 

[Grump]

My dear chaps You can knock as much as you like (I wouldn't dare suggest you were) I enjoy the banter and speak as I find init?
Paul you raise some perfectly valid points and I would like to take up a couple if I may be so bold?

take a quality kit, turn it well,

This goes along with another age old gripe, show me a Quality kit, we all have the same kits at our disposal and I wouldn't suggest anyone turns it badly.

Unless they do.

I think it's Brody, who combines a load of old tat, and makes some fantastic novel and unique products.

I would love nothing more than to see him having great success and become a designer label, a must have item in every household.
Good luck to him init?

Surely the art for a pro is making a poor pen, look special

I'll ask Neil next time I see him, he is the only pro pen turner I know of who actually makes a living from it.

I'll have to get a read of some of these books you refer to.

 

[Paul]

My dear chaps You can knock as much as you like (I wouldn't dare suggest you were) I enjoy the banter and speak as I find init?
Paul you raise some perfectly valid points and I would like to take up a couple if I may be so bold?



This goes along with another age old gripe, show me a Quality kit, we all have the same kits at our disposal and I wouldn't suggest anyone turns it badly.

Unless they do.



I would love nothing more than to see him having great success and become a designer label, a must have item in every household.
Good luck to him init?


I'll ask Neil next time I see him, he is the only pro pen turner I know of who actually makes a living from it.

I'll have to get a read of some of these books you refer to.

Aha, right then, bearing in mind, forum posts are a poor form of communication, I need to be clearer on my points. If one dissembles a pen to its component points, the value combined should be less than the sale price. Hmm no, not my point.... Hmm ok, you are an engineer type person, concerned amongst other things with the product quality, it's construction, material, engineering. The "punter" sometimes just wants something pretty... And thus assumes the quality is high, due to its prices....

I cannot comment on quality of kit, being both, inexperienced and unskilled in this area, though I follow you and others technical appraisal with great interest, this of course is different to pricing.

Clarity, I shouldn't use the word "art" of the pro. I mean, it makes business sense, to up value, a cheaper kit. Take Phil's design for a slimline, his style, to me, looks more valuable compared to the "standard" thus I would pay more. Even if the kit, wood, turn quality where the same.

Phil has thus up valued a cheaper kit.

I'd imagine, Neil, has a range of techniques, to increase his profitability, one such art is to consistently turn out the same quality in volume, especially once the novelty of the kit has gone, (damn it used art again, replace with skills or commercial sense, need to feed!)

Price, is of course just one of the 5p's of marketing though, ( which the grads today seem to assure me there are now 7 -9 ) but what do they know eh! Product being the other, (quality) place ( love your description on local area). Ahh nearly out of power on ipad, told you I could go on and on and on......

 

[Grump]

Love it, gset charged up and come back for more init?

 

[paulm]

Aha, right then, bearing in mind, forum posts are a poor form of communication, I need to be clearer on my points. If one dissembles a pen to its component points, the value combined should be less than the sale price. Hmm no, not my point.... Hmm ok, you are an engineer type person, concerned amongst other things with the product quality, it's construction, material, engineering. The "punter" sometimes just wants something pretty... And thus assumes the quality is high, due to its prices....

I cannot comment on quality of kit, being both, inexperienced and unskilled in this area, though I follow you and others technical appraisal with great interest, this of course is different to pricing.

Clarity, I shouldn't use the word "art" of the pro. I mean, it makes business sense, to up value, a cheaper kit. Take Phil's design for a slimline, his style, to me, looks more valuable compared to the "standard" thus I would pay more. Even if the kit, wood, turn quality where the same.

Phil has thus up valued a cheaper kit.

I'd imagine, Neil, has a range of techniques, to increase his profitability, one such art is to consistently turn out the same quality in volume, especially once the novelty of the kit has gone, (damn it used art again, replace with skills or commercial sense, need to feed!)

Price, is of course just one of the 5p's of marketing though, ( which the grads today seem to assure me there are now 7 -9 ) but what do they know eh! Product being the other, (quality) place ( love your description on local area). Ahh nearly out of power on ipad, told you I could go on and on and on......

Bloody ell. Between you, Brian and Neil, I could end up reading posts all night

 

[Paul]

Love it, gset charged up and come back for more init?

Aye, like potassium me, looks inert, but completely unstable, just add water. Problem is, that's it, all flash, bang and no substance!

 

[Goulss]

Cor blimey guvna your dear init?

Surely it's down to the individual deal, Neil knows only too well what people will pay not what you want or expect to get.
Get real, it's a pen not food.
Joe public will spend money on essentials not fancies.
Arty farty weird beard will make, grow, breed his own rather than line your pockets.
Fancy Nancy will pay someone else to buy it for her.
Your market is limited get to know it first then set your price accordingly.
I know mine is none existent, if I took 100 slims and set up a stall locally charging £20 for a pen, end of the day I would have a hospital food no stock and no money.
If I took same and charged £10 a pen I would have a black eye bruised shins no stock and no money.
If was to charge £2.00 a pen I could consider myself lucky to walk away with about £80 no stock and two newly acquired best mates who want to see me safely to the cash point so I can pay them protection wages.
Know your market and charge accordingly.
I do and don't bother It's cheaper and healthier for me to give away my produce or don't produce, simples init?

I won't begin to argue the pro & cons of my pricing, they are mostly commissions and they keep coming back for more! As yet I have not had to suffer the craft fair crowd, and I may well come unstuck, as many people have said before, "pay £2 for a pen and you will use, abuse and lose it, pay £20 and you will take a bit of care of it":wink: